The root cause of the American Civil War is perhaps the most controversial topic in American history. Even before the war was over, scholars in the North and South began to analyze and interpret the reasons behind the bloodshed.
The scholars immediately disagreed over the causes of the war and disagreement persists today. Many maintain that the primary cause of the war was the Southern states’ desire to preserve the institution of slavery. Others minimize slavery and point to other factors, such as taxation or the principle of States' Rights.
In 2011, at the outset of the sesquicentennial, a Pew Research Center poll found that Americans were significantly divided on the issue, with 48% saying the war was "mainly about states' rights," 38% saying the war was "mainly about slavery," with the remainder answering "both equally" or "neither/don't know."
The use of machines in manufacturing spread throughout American industry after the Civil War. With machines, workers could produce goods many times faster than they could by hand. The nation's abundant water supply helped power the industrial machines. Forests provided timber for construction and wooden products.
During its classical period, Japan was highly influenced by Chinese culture. The influence of Buddhism, Confucianism, and other elements of Chinese culture had a profound impact on the development of Japanese culture.
The very last of the 13 original colonies founded by Great Britain, Georgia's charter as a colony was given to General James Oglethorpe. Oglethorpe's purpose for building the colony was born of a desire to improve the lives of the impoverished and to undo the damage that the culture of debtor's prisons in England had inflicted on the urban poor.
